Once Upon A Time Recap: The Heart of the Truest Believer

Well, dearies, the long wait is over and Once Upon A Time Season 3 has jumped into the portal and has landed in our TV screens! Storybrooke has been left behind as the most dysfunctional Fairy Tale family sets sail for dangerous shores in order to rescue the one thing they all have in common: Henry.

The story picks up right where we left off. Charming, Snow, Emma, Hook, and Rumpelstiltskin are aboard the Jolly Roger and sailing towards a strange and mysterious island.

No, not that one.

But there is a distinct lack of "jolly" on the Roger for our heroes...and....villains....and....anti-hero....Almost from the start they begin bickering about the best way to rescue Henry. Emma even goes so far as to question the optimism and experience of her parents. But, not to worry, because Grandpa Rumpel has decided to take matters into his own hands. What's more, he's brought the proper attire.

All magic may come with a price, but I got these half off at Men's Wearhouse.

Meanwhile, late Season 2 baddies Greg and Tamara arrive ashore, shoving Henry along as they make their way to the Home Office. But nothing seems to go according to plan, starting with their communicator's batteries turning to sand and ending with a confrontation in the jungle with a creepy group of natives who want to take the boy, who has been deemed special by their leader.

Closer, but still no.

Things go south quickly for the duo on a mission to destroy magic. As it turns out, Neverland is the Home Office and the Pan himself has used the magically-slighted Greg and Tamara to abduct Henry and bring him to the island. The Lost Boys (who, if they had their own Facebook game app it would be called Creepville) demand that they hand over Henry, and when Greg refuses he meets his end at the hands of a dark, shadowy, evil spirit.

Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!

Tamara is injured by what doctors call a "freaking arrow to the back", but Henry manages to escape. He is aided by a former Lost Boy who is eager to avoid the wrath of his former colleagues. They make off towards the Cave of Echoes, a place where Pan's soldiers cannot track them. Meanwhile, back on the boat, Hook and Emma bond over their shared connection to Neal/Baelfire, unaware that at that moment the Son of Stiltskin wakes up in the Land That Was. And the first face he sees is that of...

Heyyyy.....Mulan's back everybody....greeaaaatt.....

Baelfire then recruits Mulan, Aurora, and Prince Philip in his quest to get back to Emma and the others. Meanwhile, the extended Charming family are all on the boat, lounging on the Lido deck sipping Mai Thais and playing shuffleboard.

Nah, I'm just kidding. They're getting attacked by mermaids.

As the storm rages around them, the ship is buffeted by both waves and fins as the sirens shriek and ram into the side of the Jolly Roger. Charming utilizes the firepower of the ships cannons and Regina uses the power of fire from her hands to ward off the sea-devils. It was like shooting fish in a barrel...except it was hurling magic fireballs at mythical creatures in an enchanted ocean. Luckily, they are able to capture one of the mermaids using a big ol' net.

"Wait, is that ship of protesters from PETA or the ACLU?"

Back on the mainland, Rumpel stumbles upon a wounded Tamara, who reveals why Henry was brought to Neverland. Mr. Gold shows compassion in removing the arrow from her body, allowing her to spill the beans and ask for forgiveness. The answer, certainly and deliciously, is no. Tamara pays for her crimes against the family by having her heart crushed into dust.

While Tamara's heart is getting the ol' Rumpel Crumble, the crew aboard the Jolly Roger is getting a lesson in group dynamics as they decide what to do with the captured mermaid. As the mermaid writhed and wiggled (and boy did she do both!) the team could not decide if they should use her as leverage or if they should kill her on the spot. The mermaid (who, let's face it, is Ariel), tells them that they will wind up killing themselves...and boy was she right. Regina takes action and temporarily turns the mermaid to wood...and that's when the crew reaches the "storming" stage of group dynamics....literally. As Charming fights Hook and Regina and Snow have it out, the winds pick up, the rain howls, and the mother of all tidal waves descends upon the ship.

Meanwhile, Neal, Aurora, Philip and (sigh) Mulan arrive at Rumpelstiltskin's castle in the hopes of finding something that will lead him back to his family. They are greeted, however, by a squatter who just happens to be Robin Hood.

"The rent in the Enchanted Forest is too damn high!"

As the Jolly Rogers and Rogerettes duke it out, Emma realizes that the mermaids words were coming true, that they were making to storm worse with their anger. She realizes that they need to be reunited, and fast, and so she dives into the watery depths.

Man, water-skiing in Neverland is extreme

The plan goes a little awry as she is knocked unconscious by a piece of the ship, but it does work. The rest of the team stop fighting long enough to save her, and the storm abates.

Meanwhile, Henry and his newfound friend are still on the run from the Lost Boys but run out of space quickly as they reach a cliff. The boy has pixie dust, but he doesn't believe that it will work. And this is where, for the first time, Henry really comes into his own. Displaying the optimism and belief that helped his mother break the Curse, Henry uses the pixie dust to send him and his friend soaring through the air. I have to say, I'm not the biggest Henry fan (see most of my Season 2 posts), but he really stepped up and displayed not just childlike belief, but also leadership, courage, and optimism. I hope they continue to develop his character into this series' "Man of Faith".

Don Corleone would tell you not to play around with orange peels in your mouth.

Elsewhere on the island that Seuss forgot, the Dark One comes face to face with the Creepy One as the head Lost Boy offers Rumpel a deal. Stay out of Pan's way, let him have Henry, and his life will be spared. Well, Grandpa ain't havin' that and he promptly rejects the deal. As a parting gift, Blondie leaves behind a doll that presumably belonged to Baelfire. Rumpel is overcome with grief for the son that he believes is dead, and is left to weep in the woods. I really enjoyed this scene. Whoever this kid is playing the lead Lost Boy, he's doing a fantastic job in giving me the wiggins (yep, I've been watching too much Buffy). And watching Mr. Gold act as his old self while sticking up for his family and grieving for his son shows just how far the character has come. At least he is fighting for someone other than himself, but he's still got that Dark One flair

Haters Gonna Hate.....then I turn them into a frog.

But Bae is very much alive. Using his father's old walking stick, Neal makes like Donatello and shows off some moves which removes a cloaking spell on a cabinet containing Rumpel's secret stash. Neal grabs an orb and, after focusing on Emma, finds her in what Aurora and Mulan believe to be their land. But Baelfire knows, much to his terror, that she is in Neverland.

As the Jolly Roger crew comes ashore, Emma takes full command of the group. Heroes, villains, pirates, and Saviors, all of them will need to work together to get Henry back. And nothing is going to stop them.

And nothing better, because as it turns out Henry's friend isn't really a friend at all. He IS the Pan.

BANGRARA-ooooh crap!

I have to say, after a lull in Season 2 I was starting to think that maybe we had seen the end of the great stories that had made Season 1 such a smash hit. But the show has really upped the ante on this one. First, we are introduced to Neverland and Peter Pan in a way that is so far from what we know, we can only wait to see what happens next. We also are introduced to what I think Season 2 lacked, an over-arching theme. This season, it is "belief" that will permeate each episode...belief in magic, family, and oneself. I really can't wait to see just how this season unfolds and how, if ever, our favorite characters get back to where they belong.

No! No! No!

Your Evening Linc: Return of Return of the Jedi, OUAT in Wonderland News, Fresh Prince Back In Style, and More!

It's a beautiful evening here in New York. The air is calm, the sky is clear, and the cicadas are buzzing louder than a TIE's ion engines. Don't know what a cicada is? Well, once, every 17 years, the denizens of the East Coast are visited by a plague of giant, blind insects who burrow up from the depths of the Earth to mate, drop from trees, bump into bystanders, and then die after laying their eggs back in the ground. Then their offspring wait for their turn to terrorize the populace. Luckily, we have the internet to keep us inside and safe!

1. "Return of Return of the Jedi" Celebrates 30 Years of Ewoks, Emperors, and Endor

30 years ago this month audiences witnessed what was then the final tale in the Star Wars saga. Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, my absolute favorite of the series, brings Luke Skywalker face to face with his destiny, hoping to redeem his father and thwart the utter evil of the Emperor. Our heroes battled Jabba the Hutt's minions and destroyed the second Death Star, finally restoring peace and freedom to the galaxy. This movie represented the ultimate battle between good and evil and perfectly ended the trilogy that had inspired a generation. And...of course....it gave us the gold bikini.

God bless you, George Lucas.                   

Now, filmmakers Kyle Newman (Fanboys) and my friend, J.C. Reifenberg (Hughes the Force), along with David Collins and Jeff Yorkes,  have brought together the geek elite (such as  Kevin Smith, Seth Green, Chris Hardwick, Jaime King, Topher Grace, Fall Out Boy, Eli Roth, and Jason Mewes) to share their stories and memories of Return of the Jedi in....The Return of Return of the Jedi: 30 Years and Counting.

Sadly, I can't embed it here, but you can check it out here!

2. Once Upon A Time IN Wonderland


That title is going to make a lot more sense once I tell you that the new series from the creators of Once Upon A Time will, ever so slightly, cross over with its predecessor. Once Upon A Time In Wonderland follows Alice as she leaves the real world behind to find her lost love in the crazy world of Wonderland. And, according to Entertainment Weekly, it will all start in Storybrooke!

  "Get this: The first episode of Wonderland currently starts in Storybrooke. We’re sworn to secrecy on details beyond that. But let’s just say that while the two shows will maintain clear and separate identities (it’s important to ABC and the showrunners that Wonderland can stand-alone with its own easily accessible story) this won’t be the last time the world Once Upon mingles over to Thursdays at 8 p.m."

I think this is a really smart approach: give just enough of a link to OUAT to make the show feel as if it's in the same universe, but then let it stand on its own and follow its own path. We'll be travelling down the rabbit hole this fall on ABC.

3. Now This Is A Story All About How...

Brits and Anglophiles alike will know "chat show" host Graham Norton for his quirky and entertaining show, suitably titled "The Graham Norton Show" where I'm not even quite sure he knows what will happen. Sitting alongside Bradley Cooper and Heather Graham (hello!) Will Smith and his son Jaden were discussing their upcoming movie After Earth. Graham asks the father-son duo if they ever recorded an album together...and then that's when it all went down!



Not only did Will provide a sick beat for Jaden's rap (a different kind of sick), but then the Fresh Prince brought back his partner in crime, DJ Jazzy Jeff. After treating the crowd to a rendition of the Bel-Air theme, the music changed to something more classic, more dignified, more suited for a member of the Banks family! As Alfono Ribeiro danced to his own quasi-theme song "It's Not Unusual" by Tom Jones, the beat changed again and the three men, along with Graham, did the "Jump On It" routine, with Bradley and Heather clapping along in the background. It was actually really touching to watch the old friends hug and high-five, as if no time had passed at all.

DJ Jazzy Jeff, however, left by traditional means.

4. Coming Soon....The World's End

Previously I posted the teaser trailer to Simon Pegg's latest homage film The World's End. A bunch of old friends reunite for the ultimate pub crawl, but making it to The World's End soon become the least of their worries. Check out the full trailer below.

The World's End hits theaters August 23.    

Well, I think that should keep the cicadas at bay! Keep on reading for more geekery here at The Missing Linc!

Til' next time.

- Joe

Once Upon A Time Recap: The Evil Queen

"Are people born Wicked?" said some witch in another show, "Or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?" That was the theme of tonight's episode: The Evil Queen. (Uh, uh, uh! Not so fast dearies. If ye wish not to be spoiled, go no further!)

Let's begin in The Land That Was. Regina is on the hunt for Snow White, and nothing is going to stop her. She massacres an entire village because they will not give up the princess' location. When a disguised Regina returns to the site with Snow, it is deeply unsettling, and a very dark moment for this show, to see the bodies strewn on the ground, lifeless and with Wanted posters arrowed to their backs

What Regina can't wrap her mind around is how the people can be so loyal to Snow White when she is their Queen. She enlists the help of Rumplestiltskin (always a wise choice) so that she can disguise herself and go among the people. Perhaps then she will learn more about her arch-enemy's whereabouts. She is warned, though, that she will not be able to use magic or transform back without his help (which, of course, he doe not provide). When she enters a village that has strewn up an effigy of the Queen, she tries to stop them, only to be mistaken for the culprit by her own guards. She is saved, to the delight of the irony gods, by the woman she has been hunting. Snow dispatches the guards, rescues Regina, and takes her to hide in the woods where she nurses her back to health.

"Oh dear God just kill me now."

Snow tells the injured girl about the time she almost fell off a horse, and a woman saved her. As they walk through the forest, Snow White tells the "peasant girl" that she believes there is still good in Regina. Regina takes this to heart, and wonders aloud if "The Queen" were to repent and ask forgiveness, if Snow would grant it, or kill her. Snow shows the truest kindness and compassion and says that she would. That is, until they find the bodies. In a very un-Luke Skywalker-like speech, Snow realizes and declares that there's no possible hope for Regina's redemption. She is evil through and through. The cloaked Regina accidentally reveals her true self by asking about the horse incident, although in Snow's telling she never said it was Regina. Snow readies her arrow, and a powerless Regina flees. Ever the fairest, Snow lets her go.

Back in Storybrooke, Regina is planning to activate the failsafe for the Curse, one that would destroy Storybrooke and everyone in it. Using the last remaining magic bean (oh, yeah, she burned the rest of the crop), she will escape with her son back to the Land That Was and make him love her once more. Oddly, she tells Henry about her foolproof plot, only to erase his memory moments later.

"I can soooo relate."

Meanwhile, Emma bumps into Tamara at Granny's and notices something strange when she helps to pick up Tamara's spilled items. She has a list (a big list, with big print...not so stealthy, eh?) of all the names of Storybrooke's residents and their true identities. Emma begins to think that Tamara is the "She" that August was trying to warn them about before he re-youthified.

"Hi, I'll have a cup of coffee, milk, two sugars...oh, and the heads of everyone in town."

 And so, Emma and Henry renew their covert partnership, renamed Operation Praying Mantis (...oy), in order to find out exactly what she's up to. A botched reconnaissance mission at Neal's apartment leads them to a dead end. But Emma's lie detection powers are not mistaken. Tamara and Greg are up to something, and they need a helping hand in their scheme. Well...helping hook, that is.

Get it?

Regina, trying to enact her own plot, also teams up with Hook, who seems to earnestly want to renew the partnership he had with Cora. Regina leads hook to the Library and down the elevator where she recovers the failsafe. But, she needs a distraction, because a certain dragon-moprhing witch is not as dead as we thought she was.

I actually loved this idea. It shows a particularly cruel side to Regina that she would keep her most hated frenemy preserved so that she could guard Regina's most sacred treasures. First as a dragon, then as a skeleton-ghost thing. This version of Maleficent was particularly shiver-inducing. But, Hook does manage to escape, with the help of his newfound friends, Tamara and Greg. It appears that they have a bit more experience dealing with magic than we originally thought. Using the power of science, they effectively stunted Regina's powers and put one check on their list of names. They are truly coming into their own as the new villains of Season 2. I predict that they will learn about Regina's failsafe and endeavor to use it to bring about the end of magic....and the destruction of Storybooke.

That would certainly be quite a hook...ah ha..get it? A..hook....Okay I'll stop.

Overall, I think this idea of a misunderstood Regina has been played out. It worked well in the first third of the season, when she was trying to do right by Henry, and a new twist was thrown in when Cora arrived in Storybrooke, but now it's a bit tired. She needs to commit to either being good (although not necessarily accepted by the townspeople), or truly embrace the dark side. Frankly, I would like to see an anti-hero in Regina, especially up against an all-powerful Rumplestiltskin. She doesn't need to be a good guy, but she should stop playing the victim. That said, I really enjoyed seeing Regina and Rumple play off each other in this episode. Each time we see them together she is either the eager student, the defiant former pupil, or the ardent rival. But, as always, the imp seems to always have the upper hand. I also really enjoyed seeing Tamara and Greg's characters develop into a much more sinister duo than we previously thought. I am extremely eager to see how their roles play out as we enter the home stretch to the finale.

Til' next time, dearies!

- Joe

Once Upon A Time Recap: "Selfless, Brave, and True"

Ah, nothing like coming back from a nice relaxing weekend to do a bit of blogging. And nothing says "The Missing Linc" more than a OUAT recap! So let's get into this week's episode: "Selfless, Brave, and True". As always, if you don't want to be spoiled like last month's bananas, you might want to avoid this post for the time being.

It seems that, according to Kitsiss and Horowitz, there's nothing like quite Phuket to run away to whilst having an existential crisis. I'm sure there's a deleted scene where August runs into Jack Shephard.

That's Chinese for "I'm Turning Into Wood"

At 8:15 am (that's 8:15 pm Storybrooke time, when Emma first enters town and time starts to move forward again) August wakes up to discover that his leg has turned back to wood. Still not quite the hero we see him become at the end of Season 1, he tries to find a way to heal himself and is led to a man known as the Dragon. But someone else is waiting for him. It looks like Neal's fiance`, Tamara, has a past that she hasn't shared with her future husband.

"Well if you think THIS is a wild story..."

Tamara, on a mission to find magic in this world, has tracked August and tricked him into getting a vial full of magic from the Dragon. The all-knowing, mysterious healer is fully aware of who Pinocchio is and where he comes from, but Tamara kills the Dragon (with a taser that I'm guessing was set to "Sith Lighting") before we find out more about him.

Is it at all wrong that I immediately thought "Mushu from Mulan"?

After a harrowing chase through the streets of Hong Kong, Tamara absconds with the vial, leaving August to further suffer the affects of being turned back into wood. However, she's not done with him yet. Following August to New York, she discovers that there is a town called Storybrooke, and that yet another man hails from the land of magic. Using the old "oops, clumsy me!" routine, she bumps into Neal and starts a relationship with him, biding her time until she can get her hands on an entire town's worth of magic.

And that brings the Stiltskin Family Love Success Rate to.....0%.

Back in Storybrooke, Snow White needs to clear her head and goes out to shoot some arrows, one of which finds its way directly into Pinocchio's leg. He cannot face the shame of returning to Storybrooke in his wooden state, despite Snow's insistence that there are people there who care about him. A visit from Tamara, who promises him a bit of healing potion in return for his exile, causes August to turn tail and run, until he discovers that she has been lying. Before he can warn his friends, Tamara once again sets her taser to 11 and fries August to a crisp (if you listen carefully, you can hear him whimper "Don't tase me, bro!"). But fear not, August fans! Because his last act was to attempt to warn Emma and Co., he was deemed selfless, brave, and true by the Blue Fairy and turned back into a hunky, dreamy....

....Oh. Never mind.

Unable to remember what he was going to tell them, Pinocchio walks off with Geppetto and the Blue Fairy, ready to give being a good little boy one more try. Meanwhile, Greg Mendell, aka Owen, has just had an encounter with Regina who warns him not to continue his search for his father. At the end of the episode, he receives a knock at the door. And the person on the other side is none other than: HER!

Behold: HER!

So, it aaall comes out! Tamara is in league with Owen, but what are their true intentions? Are they simply out to find his father? To gain access to magic? Or maybe they're just working together to accomplish their respective goals. It looks like the biggest threat to Storybrooke didn't come from Cora, but will instead come from our world. As we enter the home stretch to the finale, we'll find out more about their true plans in just....wait....what?.... THREE WEEKS?!

"Son of a..."

'Til then, dearies!

-Joe

Your Evening Linc: New Star Trek Into Darkness Trailer, OUAT Clip, And Doctor Who Teasers

What a fine evening it is! At the time of writing this blog has been viewed 1,034 times! I'm very grateful for all of you that have read, commented, and shared The Missing Linc. I have had a blast writing it and you better believe there will be more to come! As a matter of fact...

1. New Star Trek: Into Darkness Trailer and Poster

Now, I have to preface by saying I was never that big into Star Trek, but J.J. Abrams has certainly given the franchise new life and made it appeal to fans and non-fans alike. The sequel, Into Darkness is due out May 17th. Here is the new poster just released today:

Mr. Holmes, I presume?

It's funny, but once I start liking a new show or movie, it's all I see anywhere. Benedict Cumberbatch of Sherlock fame is looking absolutely dark and devious as villain John Harrison. Our heroes, Uhura, Kirk, and Spock, look a little out of their depth. And if the new trailer is any indication, it looks like they'll be facing a whole mess of danger.



2. Regina Confronts Owen in a Clip of Sunday's OUAT

It's always nice to see a familiar face...except when that face looks exactly the same as it did 30 years ago. Greg Mendell, aka a grown-up Owen, is confronted by Regina in his hotel room. He doesn't believe that his father just up and left Storybrooke and he demands answers. Regina gives him one: leave, or he'll disappear too.

 

Can't wait for Sunday and another fantastic episode!

3. Doctor Who: Bells of St. John Prequel To Air, New Clip, and Peter Jackson Really Wants to Direct

The good people over at the BBC will be airing a prequel webisode to the first new episode "The Bells of St John" on Saturday, March 23rd. The Doctor has been searching in vain to find Clara, the impossible girl who has died twice so far in different eras. When he does find her though, the Eleventh Doctor's boyish charm shines through (thanks to the brilliant acting of Matt Smith).

"Wait, this isn't a video clip!"

Well, Clara, you're right. The clip can only be viewed at Entertainment Weekly's website. But when you do, note the glee in the Doctor's voice. He can't help but be intrigued by Clara, who in this incarnation doesn't quite know who the Time Lord is yet. This scene is classic Smith, including his delight at his accidental invention of the "quadracycle".

And who knows, maybe one day we'll see an episode by this bright new talent named Peter Jackson. That's right, the Lord of the Rings director has been a Whovian since childhood and has publicly stated more than once that he would love to take the helm for an episode. Jackson reveals his enthusiasm in another exclusive EW article.

"They don't even have to pay me," Jackson writes. But I have got my eye on one of those nice new gold-colored Daleks. They must have a spare one (hint, hint).

Does this man have any unfulfilled child fantasies?

C'mon Moffat, giive him what he wants!

That's all for now! Here's to the next 1,000 views and beyond!

-Joe

Your Evening Linc: Randy Martinez Art, Marvel Movies, EW Features Doctor Who, Once Upon A Time Novel

Well, it's finally spring! Of course, nature didn't quite get the memo here in New York, but I can only hope that maybe its cell died. Nevertheless, here are some really cool stories from around the web just for you!

1. Randy Martinez Releases "Retire of the Jedi" Series of Prints

Star Wars artist and heck-of-a-nice guy Randy Martinez has released a series of prints in his "Retire of the Jedi" series. It's a hilarious take on what our heroes have been up to in their golden years. You can purchase the prints for $25 and see much much more on his site. See below for the elderly antics of our favorite Star Wars characters:

"I'm no good to me dead."

"Laugh it up, fuzzball....I said...LAUGH IT UP FUZZ- aahhh forget it!"

"Hey Lobot, did I ever tell you about my little maneuver at the Battle of Tanaab?"
"I believe I'm looking at it, sir."

"But I was going to Tosche Station to pick up some space Viagra!"

2. Reynolds, Stone, and Dinklage Dish On Their Respective Marvel Movies

Ryan Reynolds and Emma Stone sat down to talk about their upcoming animated film The Croods and, towards the end, were asked about Deadpool and The Amazing Spider-Man 2, respectively. Stone praises the script and Reynolds, unfortunately, does not see a movie about the witty anti-hero coming about any time soon. You can skip to around 4:18 for their comments:

   

Not to be outdone in the Marvel Non-Disclosure Contest, Peter Dinklage, the brilliant actor behind everyone's favorite Lannister in Game of Thrones, spoke briefly at a premiere for the show about his possible role in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Get More: MTV Shows

For those of you that don't know, Bolivar Trask is the infamous creator of the mutant-hunting giant robots known as Sentinels. "Days of Future Past" is a seminal X-Men story in which the assassination of a senator is blamed on mutants, resulting in a dystopian future where mutants are forced into internment camps. The movie will see the casts of the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class unite through time to stop that future from coming true. Which of course is a perfect segue into:

3. Entertainment Weekly Celebrates 50 Years of Doctor Who

It looks like the Oncoming Storm has found his way onto the cover of Entertainment Weekly. The magazine, out this week, is celebrating all things Who: Doctors, companions, monsters, and more! They even feature an essay written by Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson in which he expounds on his love for the show.

"Doctor, don't look, but there's a Dalek behind you."
"Oh he's just a camera hog, ignore him."

And, to make the wait for the series return on March 30th even more excrutiating,
producer Marcus Wilson is teasing fans that they will never, could never, guess Clara's secret:

"It's a riddle that won't easily be cracked. I defy anybody to guess it. Steven Moffat has found a way to lead everybody down the garden path and then knock them over with surprise at the end."

Or perhaps a Cyber-smack uppa you head!

Challenge accepted, Mr. Wilson.

4. Visit Storybrooke in a Story Book: Once Upon A Time Expanding To Novels

What better fit for a show about stories than to actually branch out into the world of books? Disney-owned Hyperion books will be launching the first title, Reawakened which follows the split storyline of the show, starring Emma in Storybrooke and Snow White in Fairy Tale Land. Written by Odette Beane, this book might not be the key to breaking a curse, but it might just be a great way to delve further into the show.

And that'll be all for tonight, folks! I'll leave you by paraphrasing Tennyson:

"In the Spring, a young fan's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love...and aliens...and lasers...and superpowers...and magic...and..."

-Joe

Once Upon A Time Review: "Welcome to Storybrooke"

Welcome back, dearies! It's time to review tonight's episode of Once Upon A Time: "Welcome To Storybrooke"

Now GTFO.

I really liked that we returned to Storybrooke B.C. (before Curse). It gave this episode a very Lost-like feel in the beginning, with a seemingly normal camping trip turning into ground zero for the newly arrived curse. It was also great seeing Regina walk through the town as it stayed stuck in time, something we hadn't seen in effect until now (remember Emma's entry into Storybrooke caused time to start moving forward again). Her delight in torturing Mary Margaret was a nice replay of their dynamic before Emma came to town. And Gold's refusal to admit he remembered everything must have been a fun trick for Rumple to play to pass the time. (I'll try not to mention Ruby's re-skankification). But Regina realized that something was missing in the day to day monotony of a town stuck in an infinite loop.

"If that groundhog shows up I swear to God..."

All she ever wanted was to be loved. She couldn't receive that from her mother, from Snow White, or from the citizens of Fairytale Land. She even had to compel Sheriff Graham to come to her bed night after night after night.

Ladies? ....Alright....and Gents?

But then, father and son duo Kurt and Owen find their way into the newly established town, and everything changes. Regina realizes that all she needs is the one person who could love her unconditionally...a child. Not being the best with the whole, ya know, "emotions" thing, she tries to keep the pair in Storybrooke in order to stay close with Owen. That ("unexpectedly") backfires, and Kurt and Owen try to flee Storybrooke, and Regina's clutches, after Kurt finds Regina talking into Graham's heart. Kurt is taken away, and Owen flees. I tell ya what, though, the scene where he brings the police to the boundary, where they can't see the sign on the other side, and vows to find his dad and Regina is on the other side of the bubble was very touching. Of course, it was then that I was really starting to suspect just who he might turn out to be...

Back in current Storybrooke, Regina is looking to get even with Snow. She wants vengeance, and a spell left by her mother looks to be the key to all of it. A quick intervention by Rumple stalls her, but a showdown is inevitable. Cut to the woods where Henry attempts to destroy magic by throwing dynamite down the well.

"Destroy magic with TNT? Oh you are just precious."

After complaining most of the show (season? series?) about the adults making adult decisions, Henry actually convinces the two sides to stand down. Regina destroys the curse, and it looks like no more blood will be spilled. Regina once again does the right thing in order to maintain her relationship with Henry. She truly shows him that he is the most important thing to her. Not power, not vengeance, but him.

And then what does that little creep do? He leaves her to go with Emma! AGAIN!

"Son of a...."

Again! Regina did the right thing...TWICE....in the same location....and the little piss ant goes running off with his other family...AGAIN! Ya know what? I'd blow them all up right then and there. Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if she went into a chorus of "No Good Deed" from Wicked (admit it, that would be pretty cool). But don't worry, Regina had one more surprise waiting for her that day.

This is as emo as Snow White gets.

A guilt-ridden Snow knocks on Regina's door and begs for death. Which is, frankly, kiiiinda dark for the fairest in the land. Regina refuses, for Henry's sake,but can't resist pulling the ol' Kali-Ma on her nemesis. And when she does, she finds something that makes her grin. Snow White's heart, the purest of them all, is turning black. Like a cancer it will grow until it consumes her, turns her, and destroys her family. Then, Regina notes with fiendish glee, she really can have it all. I absolutely loved the interplay between Snow and Regina. It was perfectly crafted and once again set up the oldest rivalry in the history of fairy tales. Regina retook her place as the Evil Queen, not with some grand act of evil, but with a deep malevolence borne out of the singular hatred she has for the woman who has impeded her happiness for such a long time. She didn't need to destroy Snow White, Snow White would destroy herself.

Meanwhile, resident outpatient and amateur voyeur Greg Mendell has just come from stalking Henry in the woods and is seen filming Regina and Snow's heart to heart (or heart to hand, I should say? Heh, heh. Get it? Heart to...okay I'll stop). As he gets in the car he confirms what we all suspected....he is Owen, all grown up. And it's about time he found his dad!

Who I can only imagine, much to Graham's chagrin, tried again and again to have the sheriff "arrest" him.

The preview was also pretty tantalizing. What is Neal's girlfriend (maybe Tiger Lilly) up to? Why the sly grin? And if anyone had any doubt who the man was in the trailer, let's just say he won't be telling any lies about his whereabouts. It certainly wood make the situation worse.

It's Pinocchio, is what I'm trying to say. We get to see Pinocchio again.

This was a great episode to transition into the home stretch to the season finale. And I'll be right there posting along the way. Stay tuned, dearies!

-Joe

Once Upon A Time: The Miller's Daughter Recap

Best...episode...of the season! This recap is very close to just being the word "wow" over and over again! It was so good I half expect them to go on another four week break! The writers really turned what was becoming a predictable storyline on its head, spun it around, then punted it over the fence. Tons of misdirection and suspense, as well as a few revelations, and some of the best acting of the series made this one fantastic episode.

Warning! Unless you're Rumplestiltskin and can see the future, you might want to avoid the rest of the recap. There be spoilers!

Power versus love has been a theme of the show since its inception. We've seen each character make that choice over and over again, but never has it been so on display as this episode. When it came to Cora, the choice was clear. In order to prevent the humiliation she endured at the hands of Snow's mother, she would make everyone bow to her whim. And nothing, not even true love, would stand in her way.

She could be the queen of my heart any day!

Young Cora was sublimely played by Rose McGowan. Unlike Regina, Cora never seemed to be a perfectly innocent youth who was corrupted after a devastating loss. Rather, she knew her place in the world, hated those who kept her there, and wanted nothing more than to see them suffer. But she couldn't do it alone. She needed help from someone with the power to make her darkest desires come true.

You rang, dearie?

What followed was probably one of the most deliciously evil pairings of the entire show. Rumple and Cora's romance was a match made in...well...not heaven. The scene where he teaches her to spin straw into gold using her bloodlust was played with a sensuality not often seen on the show. You could almost feel their evil souls feeding off of each other.

And, of course, I'm sure we all took in a collective gasp when Rumple amended their contract so that Cora wouldn't give him just any old first born...it would be their child! Something fans had long suspected was unfolding right before our eyes! Could Regina actually be Rumplestilskin's daughter??!!

The answer was...shockingly!....amazingly!....incredibly!..............NO!

"So here's the deal. I help you spin straw into gold, and you help me make the audience's head spin."

Cora, after ripping out her own heart (a fan hunch finally confirmed!), once again chose power over love. She had used the King for the throne, and she had used Rumple for his power. I have to say that I'm glad Regina isn't his daughter, the family tree was getting a little too twisted. It was a bold direction for the writers to take. And so, the ramifications of Cora's act would reverberate several years later, in a land far away from their own.

Back in Storybrooke, it was cool to see a dying Rumple act like a general preparing for war. Even as the poison raced to his heart, he was able to set up the defenses in his shop. Ever the teacher, he showed Emma how to properly use the magic within her, something that I'm sure will come into play as the season draws to a close. And, ever the trickster, he convinced Snow White to do something she swore she'd never do.

Watch "Red Widow"?

Ginnifer Goodwin, I think, was at her absolute best as she convinced Regina to take her mother's heart and put it back into her body. She displayed a coldness and wicked cleverness that we hadn't seen in Mary Margaret before. Again, it was another fantastic twist by the writers. I mean, it's Snow White right? She wouldn't do anything this cold-hearted? Right? She didn't even do it to save her own mother so surely she wouldn't cut Cora down to save Mr. Gold? Right??!!

And then she lit the candle, held it over the heart, and whispered the name....Cora.

"Hm...did I leave the stove on?...or....ya know, my heart unprotected?"

And in that moment the Snow we knew was gone. While she tried to prevent Regina from doing her bidding, it was too late. She had been corrupted just as Cora had planned, tricked into committing the darkest of magic by the Dark One. How this will affect her and her family going forward remains to be seen.

One thing's for sure, Regina has one hell of a reason to hate her now. She finally got the mother she always wanted, only to have been deceived into killing her. And so The Evil Queen is back and badder than ever!

Before I conclude, can we just go head and start the petition for Robert Carlyle to win every award next season? His portrayal, both as Rumplestiltskin and Mr. Gold in this episode, was absolutely incredible. As Rumple, he was every bit the devilish imp we were introduced to in the pilot. All grins and high-lilting laughs covering up an malevolence and desire to do the most evil. As Gold, we saw a man who had come to terms with the choices he had made, and wanted to make things right. His phone call to Belle was heart breaking, and his final moments with Baelfire were very touching. There was a moment where I really thought he was going to die before Cora could kill him, thus releasing the power of the Dark One forever. I grew more and more nervous with each letter that disappeared from the dagger. 

Even sadder, I think, was to see him realize that Cora truly loved him, only to have her die in front of him due to his own machinations.

"I'm so happy. Good thing matters of love always work out for me!"

Well, dearies, this was really my favorite episode of the season and I cannot wait to see how it all plays out! What did you think? What can possibly happen next now that the story we thought we knew has been chucked out?

Til' next time!

-Joe